GOP congressman held tax scam rally and almost no one showed up

If Iowa Rep. Rod Blum expected to be greeted with adoring crowds for cutting taxes for corporations and millionaires, he was sorely mistaken.

Republicans may have thought that once they passed their tax scam giveaway for the wealthy, the voters would come around to support it. But it hasn't worked out that way. And one vulnerable Republican, Rep. Rod Blum from Iowa's 1st Congressional District, learned that the hard way last week.

According to local activists from Progress Iowa, Blum himself showed up late. And only four people attended who were not speakers or event employees.

Of those four, two were protestors.

As the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier noted, "Prior to Blum's appearance, protesters in three vehicles drove by with signs opposing the tax cuts. One truck sported a large inflatable chicken in the likeness of President Donald Trump."

In short, the joyful reception Blum hoped for from his constituents simply did not happen.

"Congressman Blum worked hard to pass a bill that gives huge tax benefits to corporations and does very little for people like me," said ReShonda Young, a small business owner in Blum's district, in a statement to Shareblue Media. "This bill snubs the country’s small business owners — and we know it."

Blum is one of several Republican lawmakers taking part in the nationwide "Tax Cuts Work" cross-country bus tour. The events are promoted by the Job Creators Network (JCN), a corporate advocacy group started by Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus. Marcus recently made headlines for telling Democrats to "use your stupid brains" and support corporate tax cuts.

Many of JCN's other attempts to boost GOP lawmakers have ended in similar failure.

When the group hosted an event in April with Virginia Republican Rep. Scott Taylor, a group of retired teachers came out to protest. One group of protestors photobombed Taylor's selfie at the event with "Repeal the Trump Tax" signs.

Just weeks ago, Republicans were taking their tax cut message on the offensive, attacking Democrats for opposing the bill. At one point, RNC staffers even tried to drown out a rally for the Parkland shooting victims with a mocking tax cut chant.

But voters were not fooled. They know the GOP tax cuts went overwhelmingly to the rich and big corporations. Many of the firms that got a big windfall, like Kimberly-Clark, are firing workers and keeping the profit.

Meanwhile, Republicans have been quietly canceling their ads supporting tax cuts and shifting to other issues like immigration.

Some Republicans, like Blum, clearly missed the memo that voters have rejected their agenda. But perhaps that nearly empty rally will finally clue him in.

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